Pen-positioning device



Mar. 13,1923.

J. L. TURNER.

PEN POSITIONING DEVICE.

FILED AUG.26.1921.

Patented Matt. is, was. i

i I JESSE LxTURNER, or LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

. I rnn-rosrrromne DEVICE.

' ppear-touted A i ust 2e, 192 1. Serial No. 495,471.

To allwhomit mayoonccrm v I Be it known that I, Jnssn L. TURNER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county ofPulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in a Pen-Positioning Device; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same:

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient meansas an assistance in the teaching ofhand writing by properly positioningthe pen in the hand of the student to insure a proper movement and moreparticularly an arm movement as distinguished Q from a 'finger movement,and with this object in view the invention consists in a .constructionand arrangement of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in theaccompanying drawing, wherein:

F i ure 1 is a view of a, en ositionin dc-- vice applied to a. penholder andshowing the same in engagement with a hand.

Figure 2 is a detail view of the device detached.

Figure 3 is a plan View with the part shown in the position indicated inFigure 1.

Figure 4; is a rear view partly in section to show the means for holdingthe adjustable tongue in position.

Figure 5 is a blank from which the body portion of the device is formed.

The holding device consists essentially of a clip 10 for engaging thepen holder' stafi and a thumb clamp 11 for straddling the thumb of theoperators hand at about the middle joint thereof, a seat 12 beingarranged above the thumb clamp for the reception of a transverse stem 13designed to extend transversely under the palm of the hand and projectbeyond the back or outer edge of the hand sufiiciently to prevent theoperator from turning the hand over or tending to turn the palm upward.

The pen holder clip consists of ears 10 extending in opposite directionsfrom a strap 14 which is doubled or coiledupon itself to form the seat12 which is locatedbeneath and slightly in rear of the clip, one tongue15 of the thumb clamp being formed-preferably integral with andextending from the side of said strap at the lower side of the seat. Theother tongue 16 of the thumb clamp is adjustable with relation to theseat and the tongue 15 andto this end is .pro-

vided with an arm 1( extending through the seat and provided with aplurality of openings' 0r perforations 18 for selective engagement by apoint or projection 19 which may as shown be formed by means of a punchapplied to the under side of the seat. The arrangement of the stem inthe'seat serves to prevent looseness or accidental disarrangement ordisadjustment of the movable tongue of the thumb clamp, and the seatbeing formed by a coil of which the end is free is preferably of suchresilience asto, eXert a clamping action on the stem andthus hold thelatter in proper position. The material of which the device is formedispreferably v sufliciently pliable to adapt ,it tobe bent to fittheobject used in connection therewith, such as the pen holder., et'c.,vbut at the same time has a suificient amount of resilienceto properlyyield to exert a clamping action while retaining its ,gen eraluformAllurni num is a suitable material for the purpose. The effect of. thedevice whenapplie'd'to the hand asindicated andas' shown in the drawingis to hold the hand of the operator and the pen in the hand in theproper relation and position prescribed by the authorities on handwriting, and the thumb clamp serves to embrace or clasp thejoint of thethumb and owing to the feeling of security which the pupil has by reasonof'recognizing that the pen holder is safely held in the hand there isinduced a relaxation of the muscles of the arm and hand so that the taskof teaching an arm movement in hand writing is very materiallyfacilitated. As above indicated the turning of the hand tending to bringthe palm upward or to the side is prevented by the projected end of thestem which extends under the palm of the hand and at the same time thehand is held in the flat position which is prescribed to insure a properposition of the pen holder with relation to the surface which is toreceive the writing.

It will further be observed that the device is of simple construction,and may readily be formed by stamping from sheet metal, of for exampleabout twenty gage, and may readily be applied to a pen holder stafl andadapted by the simple adjustment of the movable tongue of the clamp tofit the thumb of the pupil so as to insure a proper position in writingand overcome the prevalent tendency to finger movement whereas theprewhichis ordinarily difiicult to teach by reason of the fact that themajority of pupils gageable feel that it is necessary to pinchorgraspthe pen holder tightly and in so doing they cramp the muscles andproduce a stifi'ness which renders the arm movement impossible; Thesecurity of feeling experienced by the student in, using the holdingdevice induces an immediate relaxation of muscles which predisposes himor her to the required freedom of arm' movement.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is V n 1. A penholding device having means engageable with the thumb to prevent unduemovement of the latter, means extending fromthe said means engageable bythe palm of the hand to prevent disengagement of the first means fromthe thumb, and a staffretaining means associated with said means.

2; A pen holding device having means enwith the thumb to prevent unduemovement thereof, a stem on said means and extending therefrom forengagement by the palm of the hand to prevent disengagement ofthe saidmeans from the thumb, and a staff-retaining means extending froin thesaid means over 'said stem to secure it in plate. c

3. A pen holdingdevice having a staff engaging clip and a thumb clampadapted for straddling engagement with the thumb of the hand, the thumbclamp consisting of Spaced tongues, one of which is movable toward andfromthe other.

A. A pen holding device having a staff engaging clip and a thumb clampadapted for straddling engagement with the thumb of the hand, and a stemextending transversely fromthe thumb clamp for contact with the palm ofthe hand.

,5. A penholding devicehaving a staii engaging clip and a thumb clampadapted for, straddling engagement with the thumb of the hand, atransversely open looped seat being arranged between the clip and thumbclamp for the reception of a transverse palm rest stem.

6. A pen holdin g' device having a staff engaging clip and a thumb clampadapted v p for straddling engagement with the thumb of the hand, acoiled seat being arranged between the said clip and clamp,- one side ofthe thumb clamp consisting of a tongue having an arm extending adjustably through the seat, interlocking means for securing said tongue inits adjusted position, and a stem fitted in the seat for extensionbeneath the palm of the operators hand.

In testimony whereof I aflix' my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnessesi V i W. H. SU'r'roN, C. O. Botnn.

JESSE L. TURNER. i

